Rail-anchor.



W. L WALKER. RAIL ANCHOR.

APPLICATION EIL'ED DEG. 26, 1908.

W. A. WALKER. v

BAIL ANCHOR.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. ze, 1908.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFTCE.

WILLIANL A. VALKER, OF RACINE, WTSCONSIN, ASSIGNOR T0 OTTO R. BABNETT, OF CHICAGO, LLINOIS.

RAIL-ANCHOR.

Application lef December 526, 15%8.

T0 all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, FfrLLmM A. Warner., a citizen of the United States, residing at tacine, in the county of Racine and State of lllisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Tmprovements in Rail-Anchors, of which the following is a specication.

My invention pertains to rail anchors or anti-creeping devices, and one of its objects and purposes is the provision of an anchor of this character which will automatically grip or grasp the rail more tightly as the latter attempts to creep, thereby preventing substantial creeping or longitudinal shifting of the rail. Preferably the device has a b: se adapted to tit beneath the rail and hook over one of its base flanges. Pivoted or mounted on this base is a lever having at one end a cam or eccentric surface adapted to bear against the opposite portion of the rail, the other end of the lever normally abutting against the back face of an adjacent cross-tie. As this rail with the anchor applied thereto attempts to creep, the lever, because of its contact with the stationary cross-tic, is partially turned on its fulcrum or pivot so that its cam or eccentric surface causes the rail to be gripped tighter and tighter as the creeping or lengthwise movement of the rail progresses. A very slight movement of the rail, however, is sutlicient to bring the parts into such relation that further shifting is prevented, or the anchor may be driven on to the rail so firmly when applied thereto with the lever against the tie thatno forward movement of the rail is permitted. Due to contraction of the rail, the gripping anchor may back away from the tieat times, and in order to prevent the cam or tightening lever from being jarred from its proper operative position when its end no longer firmly bears on the tie, l have equipped the parts of the device with a series of teeth and a cooperating pawl, the teeth, if desired, being on the base, while the pawl or spring-dog co-acting therewith may be mounted on the cam lever. rlhis pawl and ratchet means permits the cam lever to be tightened on the rail, but pre vents it from loosening or becoming jarred or olted out of position.

Tn the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, T have illustrated two desirable embodiments of the invention, like reference characters referring Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented June 21, 1910.

Serial No. 469,281.

to the same parts throughout the various views.

in these drawings Figur-e 1 is a perspective vicw of a portion of a rail equipped with one form of my improved anti-creeping device or anchor, showing the cam lever bearing against the back face of one of the cross-ties or sleepers: Fig. 2 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a horizontal. section illust-rating the springpawl and cooperating ratchet-teeth; Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the fulcrum of the cam or tightening lever, illustrating the manner in which the inner end of the lever overlaps both the top and bottom surfaces of the lower flange of the rail; Fig. is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a modied form of anchor; Fig. G is a plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 5; Fig. T is a horizontal section on line 7 7 of Fig. 8, the section being taken just above the base; Fig. S is a section on line 8 8 of Fig. 7, the parts being viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows; Fig. 9 is a vertical section on line 9-9 of Fig. 7 g and Fig. 10 is a section on line 10u10 of Fig. T, showing the ratchet teeth and the cooperating springpawl.

In Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, ofthe drawings, T have illustrated a railroad rail 10 of the usual form and a portion of one of the crossties or sleepers 11 upon which the rail rests. The anchor or anti-creeping device comprises a base 12 disposed beneath the bottom of the rail and having at one end a hoolishaped portion 13 adapted to tit around and grasp one flange of the rail base. The portion 14 of the anchor base 12 which projects outwardly beyond the opposite flange of the railroad rail 10 is somewhat reduced in thickness and has fulcrumed thereon, on a rivet or bolt 15, a lever 1G having at its outer end a curved vertical surface 17 adapted to bear against the rear face of the crosstie 11. This lever 16 is strengthened by the top plate or flange 18, and has at its inner end a cam surface 19 eccentric to the rivet 15, lips Q0 and 21 being provided above and below the cam surface 19 to overlap and underlie the adjacent flange of the rail. Ratchet teeth Q9 are provided on thc outer curved face of the part 1l of base 12, and cooperating with these teeth is a spring pawl 23 mounted in any suitable or desired manner on the lever 1G. In order that the anchor may be driven on to the rail without injury to the cam lever or other parts, I provide the fiat plate portion 14 of the base or gripping member with an integral boss or extension 24 which may receive the blows administered to the anchor. In order that the same size of anchor may be used for different widths and sizes of rails, inserts or llers 25 of different sizes may be interposed between the hook 13 of the base or gripping member 12 and the flange of the rail, as is clearly illustrated. lVith some widths of rails no filler would be used, while with a lighter weight of rail a filler would be employed such as an insert or filling block 25 having ears or outwardly-extended projections 26 overlapping the two sides of the hook 13 to prevent displacement of the insert.

The anchor is applied to the rail, as illus- Atrated in the drawings, with' the hook 13 engaging one flange 10a of the rail, while the opposite flange l()b is located between the lips 2O and 21 of lever 16, the cam surface 19 bearing against this flange of the rail while the end 17 of the lever abuts against the back face of the adjacent crosstie. The anchor is then driven toward the tie by any suitable means, and in this manner the cam portion of the lever is made .to firmly and securely grip the base of the rail by turning on its fulcium or pivot. If the rail attempts to'creep or move forwardly the anchor is carried with it, and, due to the engagement of the end 17 of the lever with the sleeper, it is made to grasp the rail tighter than ever, this action occurring automatically, as is obvious. Creeping or lengthwise shifting is, therefore, effectively prevented. l/Vhen the rail contracts, thev anchor may move suiiiciently to bring the end of the lever 16 out of contact with theA cross-tie, and if such levei' were not maintained in its former angular position by some suitable means it would be jarred orV jolted out of place by the passing trainsI and be rendered ineffective for preventing The co` operation of the spring 23 of lever 16 with' the teeth 22-o'f the base or gripping membery subsequent creeping of the rail.

maintains lever 16 in position and permits position in relation to the rail, thereby preventing the base and lever from dropping away from the rail.

the preferred embodiment of this invention,

and in these figures the rail and cross-tie have been supplied with the same reference characters 10 and 11 as in the previous instance. This improved and novel device has a base or gripping member 30 disposed beneath and transversely of the base of the rail, and is equipped at one end with a hook 31 to engage one of the flanges of the rail, an insert or ller 32 being employed if necessary. The other end of this base has a cylindrical aperture 33 extended therethrough, this hole having a lateral enlargement or extension 34 on one side. On its top face at this end of the base there is provided a curved series of ratchet teeth 35 concentric with the hole 33, as disclosed in Figs. 7 and 10. This rail anchor or anti-creeping device includes also a tightening lever 36 hav- .ing at its outer end a curved vertical surface 37 adapted to bear against a vertical face of the cross-tie 11, and also equipped with a substantially-horizontal ear 38 intended to overlie the top surface of the sleeper to assist in preventing displacement of the lever. Projecting downwardly from the -bottom face of the lever 36 is a cylindrical hub or post 39 of substantially the same diameter as the round hole 33 and having a lateral projection or lug 40 of practically the saine size as the aperture enlargement 34. It will, therefore, be apparent that this lever may be operatively applied to the base 30 by bringing the lever and base together in such relation that the stud or fulcrum post 39 is in register with the hole 33 and the lug 40 in register with the aperture 34, which arrangement of the parts permits the lug 40 to be passed through ,the hole 34, whereupon the lever may .be turned in the hole 33 so as to bring the lug 40 out ofalinement with the aperture 34, .this lug then acting as a retaining means to prevent disengagement of the lever .from the base. The .inner end of this operating lever 36 is supplied with a .against one face of the vertical web of the rail. This yblock 43 overlaps the top and bottom portions of the cam kor eccentric part of the lever 36, vas is clearly shown in vFig..5, which prevents its displacement with relation to the lever. In order to assist in maintaining the proper relation of the parts, the `under surface of the lever 36 is equipped with a depending fin or rib 44 which by coaction with the curved or cylindricaledge at the end of the base or gripping member 30 prevents tilting or inclining of the lever out of its proper operative relation or gpositioii.

The operation of this improved and preferred embodiment of the invention is subn 5 stantially the same as-described above; that In Figs. 5 to 10, inclusive, I'have shownV is, as the rail creeps or moves toward the sleeper or cross-tie the tightening lever 36 is turned on its fulcrum or pivot stud 39 to increase the pressure of its eccentric or cam end 41 on the pressure block 43, the latter in turn transmitting such pressure to the rail, as will be readily understood.

In a recess 45 (Fig. l0) on the under face of the lever 36 above the ratchet teeth 35, I mount a spring pawl 46, the lower or free end of which co-acts with the ratchetteeth 35 to prevent backward or loosening movement of the lever, but at the same time permitting the lever to turn on its fulcrum in the direction to cause a firmer grasping of the anchor on the rail.

To those skilled in this art it will be apparent that various minor changes in the mechanical structure of the device as herein set forth may be made without sacrificing the benets and advantages of the invention and without departure from the substance and essence thereof.

I claim:

l. In a rail anchor, the combination of a gripping member adapted to engage a rail, a lever fulcrumed on said gripping member and adapted to bear against an opposite portion of the rail, whereby the rail is gripped between said member and lever, the latter being also adapted to abut against a crosstie, and means to prevent said lever from turning on its fulcrum in one direction, substantially as described.

2. In a rail anchor, the combination of a gripping member adapted to engage a rail, a lever fulcrumed on said gripping member and adapted to bear against an opposite portion of the rail, whereby the rail is gripped between said member and lever, the latter being also adapted to abut against a crosstie, and means to prevent said anchor from loosening its grip on the rail when the former is moved away from the cross-tie due to contraction of the latter, substantially as described.

3. In a rail anchor, the combination of a gripping member having a hook portion adapted to engage a rail, a lever fulcrumed on said gripping member and having a cam surface to bear against the rail, whereby the latter is gripped between said member and lever, the latter being also adapted to abut against a cross-tie, and means to prevent said lever from turning on its fulcrum in the direction to loosen the grip of the anchor on the rail, substantially as described.

4. In a rail anchor, the combination of a gripping member adapted to engage a rail, a lever fulcrumed on said gripping member and adapted to bear against an opposite portion of the rail, whereby the rail is gripped between said member and lever, the latter being also adapted to abut against a face of a crossstie, ratchet teeth on said gripping member, and a pawl on said lever coperating with said teeth to prevent the lever from turning in the direction to loosen the grip of the anchor on the rail, substantially as described.

5. In a rail anchor, the combination of a gripping member adapted to engage a rail, a lever fulcrumed on said gripping member and adapted to bear against a face of a cross-tie, and a pressure block interposed between said lever and rail, whereby the rail is gripped between said member and said block and as the rail creeps the pressure of the lever on the block and of the latter on the rail increases, substantially as described.

6. In a rail anchor, the combination of a gripping member adapted to engage a rail, a lever fulcrumed on said gripping member and having at one end a cam or eccentric surface and at its other end a curved face intended to bear against a cross-tie, and a pressure block interposed between the cam end of saidlever and the rail, whereby the latter is gripped between said gripping member and the block and as the rail creeps the pressure of the lever on the block and of the latter on the rail increases, substantially as described.

7. In a rail anchor, the combination of a gripping member adapted to engage a rail, a lever fulcrumed on said gripping member and adapted to exert pressure on said rail, whereby the latter is gripped between said member and lever, said lever being also intended to bear at one end against a face of a. cross-tie and having an ear to overlie said cross-tie, substantially as described.

8. In a rail anchor, the combination of a gripping member adapted to engage a rail, a lever fulcrumed on said gripping member and adapted to bear at one end against a face of a cross-tie, and a pressure-block interposed between said lever and the web of said rail, whereby the rail is gripped between said member and block and as the rail creeps the pressure of the lever on the block and of the latter on the rail increases, substantially as described.

9. In a rail anchor, the combination of a gripping member adapted to engage a rail, and a lever detachably fulcrumed on said gripping member and adapted to bear at one end against the face of a cross-tie and at its other end against the rail, said lever being non-detachable from said gripping member" while in normal operative position, substantially as described.

l0. In a rail anchor, the combination of a gripping member adapted to engage a rail, and a lever having a fulcrum post thereon, the latter having a lateral lug, said gripping member having a cylindrical aperture to accommodate said fulcrum post and an eX- tension aperture intended to permit passage of said lug therethrough, whereby said lever may be detachably fulcrumed on said gripping member, said lever being adapted to relative movement of said lever member toward unlocking position when the same is in set position, substantially as described.

12. A rail anchor comprising a jaw, supporting means beneath the rail which carries said jaw, another jaw and a pivot by means of which said last mentioned jaw is permanently but rotatably secured to said supporting means, and a lever connected with said last mentioned jaw.

13. A rail anchor comprising a jaw, a base which is integral with said jaw, another jaw, a pivot by means of which said last mentioned aw is permanently but rotatably secured to the base, and a lever connected with the last mentioned jaw.

14. A rail anchor comprising a jaw, supporting means beneath the rail which carries said jaw, another jaw and a pivot by means of which said last mentioned jaw is permanently but rotatably secured to said supporting means, a lever connected with said last mentioned jaw, and means which prevents the rotation of said last mentioned jaw in one direction while permitting rotation in the opposite direction.

15. A rail anchor comprising a pair of rail gripping jaws, one of which jaws is movable with respect to the other in such manner as to shorten the distance between said jaws, and locking means which prevents a reverse movement of said movable jaw.

16. A rail anchor comprising a pair of rail gripping jaws, one of which jaws is movable with respect to the other in such manner as to shorten the distance between said jaws, locking means which prevents a reverse movement of said movable jaw, and a lever adapted to engage a tie and connected with said movable jaw.

17. A rail anchor comprising a pair of rail gripping jaws, supporting means under the rail which supports Said jaws, one of said jaws being pivoted to said supporting means, a lever adapted to engage a tie and connected with said pivoted jaw so as to rotate the same, and locking means which prevents the reverse rotation of said jaw.

18. A rail anchor comprising a pair of jaws, and a lever member to which one of said jaws is pivoted, substantially as described.

19. A rail anchor, comprising a lever member adapted to engage a tie or the like and having a pair of jaws secured thereto and adapted to grip the base of the rail upon opposite sides thereof, one of said jaws being movable relative to said lever member, as and for the purposes described.

WILLIAM A. WALKER.

Vitnesses:

WVALTER M. FULLER, ALLEN W. MOORE. 

